Your WSNA team of Montlake registered nurses negotiated with UWMC management on Monday, June 14 and on Friday, June 18 in order to reach a tentative agreement for the contract starting July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2023.

We made some of the gains include an increased night shift premium, increased hourly standby up to 30 hours, and another increase for all hours after that. In addition, we were able to secure better staffing language and more.

On top of that, we successfully negotiated an 8% wage increase over the two year life of the contract that includes a total of 6% the first year and 2% the second (structured as a 1% wage increase the first year with an added 5% Recruitment and Retention bonus added to the wages as requested by UWMC). The wage and premium increases have a total cost greater than $33 million to the employer, resulting in the largest wage increase that RNs at UWMC have ever received! In addition, these wage increases are more equivalent to the top paid hospitals along the I-5 Corridor.

To secure these gains, the negotiating team made two compromises. 1). Change in Rest Between Shift lengths – currently, 12 hours rest for 8 hours worked and 10.5 hours rest for 12 hours. The tentative agreement is for 11 hours rest for both 12 and 8 hours worked. 2). Mandatory one standby shift a month for RNs working in ED starting August 1.

The team worked hard and fended off many major takeaways, including mandatory floating between Montlake and ALL other UW hospitals.

As a representative team of RNs, we fought hard to achieve a fair contract. And we couldn’t have done it without the support of all of the nurses represented by WSNA. Management repeatedly identified your engagement and vocal frustration with their takeaways and low-wage proposals as deciding factors in their concessions.

We have arranged to conduct local Unit meetings on Wednesday, July 7, to go over all the changes, and answer any questions you may have. Details on how to attend the meetings will be forthcoming.

We will be conducting an in-person vote on Friday, July 9^, at a variety of times. Stay tuned for hours and location. Only WSNA members in good standing are allowed to vote, so if you are not a current WSNA Member, join today.

WSNA and your team of registered nurses recommends a “YES” vote!

Congratulations and thank you for supporting your bargaining team. When the RNs are engaged, we see results.

Your WSNA Bargaining Team:
Teresa Wren, MIC
Doug Harper, NICU
Alexandra Mariani, 7NE
Mike Crandall, OR
Charles James, PACU
Erika Speck­hardt, 5SA
Chris Jakubowski, Cardiac Proce­dures
Kaitlyn McDow, 5E